Gender differences in job strain, social support at work, and psychological distress.

Using the demand-control-support model of job strain, the authors examined gender differences in the relationship between psychosocial work exposures and psychological distress in a cross-sectional sample of 7,484 employed Canadians. Compared with low-strain work, high-strain and active work were associated with a significantly higher level of distress in both men and women. Differences in psychological distress in relation to psychosocial work exposures were greater for men than for women. Low social support was associated with higher distress across all categories of job strain, and the combined effect of low social support and high job strain was associated with the greatest increase in distress. This pattern was similar in men and women. This study suggests that psychosocial work exposures may be a more significant determinant of psychological well-being in male workers compared with female workers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Work-family conflict and psychosocial work environment stressors as predictors of job stress in a cross-cultural study.

The purpose of this cross-cultural study was to investigate the relationship between work-family conflict (WFC), family-work conflict (FWC), job demands, job control, social support, flexibility in working hours, and job stress. The sample consisted of 27 doctors and 328 nurses from Norway, as well as 111 doctors and 136 nurses from India. The results indicate that predictors of job stress in India are different from Norway and different from doctors to nurses. For Norwegian doctors, none of the study variables were predictors of job stress. For Norwegian nurses WFC, high job demands, and low flexibility in working hours were predictors of job stress. For Indian doctors low job control and for Indian nurses high FWC and low social support were predictors of job stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interactions between job stressors and social support: Some counterintuitive results.

Job stressors (underutilization of skills, quantitative workload, and job future ambiguity) and social support (tangible and emotional support from supervisor, coworkers, and nonjob sources) were used to predict psychological and physiological strains (job dissatisfaction, boredom, workload dissatisfaction, depression, heart rate, and blood pressure) and organizational consequences (absenteeism and job performance) among 102 hospital nurses (mean age 37.4 yrs). Based on previous theory and research, social support was expected to moderate the relationship between stressors and strains so that stressors would be less strongly related to strains in the presence of strong social support than under conditions of less social support. Several interactions were found, but all were in the direction opposite from predictions (i.e., social support strengthened the positive relationship between stressors and strains). This result contradicts most theories and models of job stress and social support. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A test of the demand-control/support model of work stress in correctional officers

The demand-control/support model of work stress was tested in a sample of 419 correctional officers. The results suggest a link between certain work characteristics (high demands, low control, and low support) and strain symptoms (e.g., psychological distress, job dissatisfaction) as well as with negative affectivity (NA). On the other hand, other job characteristics (high demands and high control) were associated with positive behavioral outcomes (seeking feedback, looking at work as a challenge). Workers in high-isolation strain jobs with the greatest work exposure showed higher levels of strain and NA than workers with less experience working in the same job. Results suggest that work experience may affect long-term personality evolution. It is concluded that studies that control for the nuisance aspects of trait NA may underestimate the impact of the work environment on strain.     

Predicting symptomatic distress in emergency services personnel.

This study identified predictors of symptomatic distress in emergency services (EMS) personnel exposed to traumatic critical incidents. A replication was performed in 2 groups: 154 EMS workers involved in the 1989 Interstate 880 freeway collapse during the San Francisco Bay area earthquake, and 213 counterparts from the Bay area and from San Diego. Evaluated predictors included exposure, social support, and psychological traits. Replicated analyses showed that levels of symptomatic distress were positively related to the degree of exposure to the critical incident. Level of adjustment was also related to symptomatic distress. After exposure, adjustment, social support, years of experience on the job, and locus of control were controlled, 2 dissociative variables remained strongly predictive of symptomatic response. The study strengthens the literature linking dissociative tendencies and experiences to distress from exposure to traumatic stressors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Change in job strain and progression of atherosclerosis: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 16(2) of Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (see record 2011-06502-001). The order of authorship was listed incorrectly. The correct order is listed in the correction.] Evidence of the association between job strain, that is, a combination of high psychological demands and low job control, and markers of atherosclerosis is mixed, but few studies with repeat measures are available. The purpose of this study was to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between job strain and atherosclerosis. The participants were 335 men and 374 women from the prospective Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study (mean age 38.5 years). Two sequential measurements of job strain and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were analyzed. No cross-sectional or longitudinal association between job strain and IMT was observed in women. In men, a cross-sectional association was found in 2001, but not in 2007. No dose-response effect was visible, nor a simple association between progression of job strain and progression of IMT. Instead, a more complex pattern of correlation was found in men with large decreases in job strain being associated with slower progression of IMT and combined decreases in job control and demands (a change toward passive jobs) being associated with greater IMT progression. These data suggest that temporal changes in job demands and control are associated with IMT in men via multiple mechanisms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A test of the demand–control/support model of work stress in correctional officers.

The demand–control/support model of work stress was tested in a sample of 419 correctional officers. The results suggest a link between certain work characteristics (high demands, low control, and low support) and strain symptoms (e.g., psychological distress, job dissatisfaction) as well as with negative affectivity (NA). On the other hand, other job characteristics (high demands and high control) were associated with positive behavioral outcomes (seeking feedback, looking at work as a challenge). Workers in high-isolation strain jobs with the greatest work exposure showed higher levels of strain and NA than workers with less experience working in the same job. Results suggest that work experience may affect long-term personality evolution. It is concluded that studies that control for the nuisance aspects of trait NA may underestimate the impact of the work environment on strain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job strain, social support and mental health: a study on the male heavy manufacturing workers

OBJECT: The aim of this study is to explore the influence of work experience on workers' psychological function. Specifically, the researchers will examine the effect of job demand, decision latitude, job strain, and social support at worksite on the mental health status of male heavy manufacturing workers. METHOD: By purposive sampling, from October 1994 to March 1995, the present investigators implemented a self-administered questionnaire survey on the workers in southern Taiwan. The Karasek job strain model and its measure were embedded in the questionnaire to evaluate workers' perceptions of their job conditions. In addition, Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ) was utilized to evaluate the workers' status of mental health. RESULT: Totally, 1,117 workers were selected for this survey. An unviriate analysis showed the younger the workers, the lower their monthly income, and the newer their employment, were more likely to be classified as high risk in mental health status. The workers with more decision latitude and higher social support would be better in mental health status. In addition, it also showed that workers under high job strain were more likely to be in poor mental health status. Result from multivariate logistic regression showed those who served longer, had more decision automony, and had higher social support, were less likely to be in poor mental health status. Instead, those who sustained high job strain were more likely to be in poor mental health status. DISCUSSION: The implication from those findings for the implementation of health promotion program. would be raised, and the limitation of this inference would also be discussed.     

Job insecurity in white-collar workers: Toward an explanation of association with health.

This article describes 2 studies that examined changes in psychosocial work characteristics (job strain model) and health-related behaviors as potential explanations of the job insecurity–health relationship in a longitudinal cohort of white-collar British civil servants. Job insecurity arising from anticipation of change was associated with a modest increase in self-reported morbidity, whereas chronic job insecurity was associated with some adverse physiological changes. Anticipation of change and chronic job insecurity were associated with adverse changes in other psychosocial work characteristics, but few changes were significant and consistent across both exposure groups. Changes in health-related behaviors associated with either exposure were slight. Apart from a minor role for social support at work in both sexes and a modest role for job demands in women, adverse changes in these factors explain little of the job insecurity–health relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job strain and risk indicators for cardiovascular disease in young female nurses.

This study examined the possible effects of job demands, decision latitude, and job-related social support on risk indicators for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in 165 female nurses. Job strain was measured with the Job Content Questionnaire; CVD risk was measured with insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), fibrinogen, tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) antigen, tPA activity, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 antigen, and blood pressure. Multivariate analysis of covariance and regression analyses revealed no effects of either job strain or social support on these risk indicators. All risk indicators deteriorated with age and body mass index. Oral contraceptive use improved fibrinolytic potential and increased HDL-C but had adverse effects on TG levels. Results suggest that in healthy young women job strain is not associated with an unfavorable metabolic or fibrinolytic risk profile. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Change in job strain and progression of atherosclerosis: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study": Correction to Rosenstr?m et al. (2011).

Reports an error in "Change in job strain and progression of atherosclerosis: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study" by Tom Rosenstr?m, Mirka Hintsanen, Mika Kivim?ki, Markus Jokela, Markus Juonala, Jorma S. Viikari, Olli T. Raitakari and Liisa Keltikangas-J?rvinen (Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 2011[Jan], Vol 16[1], 139-150). The order of authorship was listed incorrectly. The correct order is listed in the correction. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2011-01470-011.) Evidence of the association between job strain, that is, a combination of high psychological demands and low job control, and markers of atherosclerosis is mixed, but few studies with repeat measures are available. The purpose of this study was to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between job strain and atherosclerosis. The participants were 335 men and 374 women from the prospective Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study (mean age 38.5 years). Two sequential measurements of job strain and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were analyzed. No cross-sectional or longitudinal association between job strain and IMT was observed in women. In men, a cross-sectional association was found in 2001, but not in 2007. No dose-response effect was visible, nor a simple association between progression of job strain and progression of IMT. Instead, a more complex pattern of correlation was found in men with large decreases in job strain being associated with slower progression of IMT and combined decreases in job control and demands (a change toward passive jobs) being associated with greater IMT progression. These data suggest that temporal changes in job demands and control are associated with IMT in men via multiple mechanisms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Active immunization against cancer cells: impediments and advances

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the hypothesis that exposure to "job strain" is related to increased ambulatory blood pressure (ABP). METHOD: Participants were 195 men who wore an ABP monitor for 24 hours on two occasions 3 years apart. Job strain status, evaluated at each assessment, was used to identify four groups: those not having job strain at either assessment (N = 138), those having job strain at both times (N = 15), and two crossover groups. Regression analysis was used to examine the cross-sectional associations of ABP with job strain, controlling for other known risk factors. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to examine the association of ABP change with the category of job strain change. RESULTS: The cross-sectional analysis of the Time 2 data yielded almost identical, highly significant effects of job strain on ABP as was shown in our previously published Time 1 analysis. Those in high strain jobs at both times had systolic/diastolic ABPs at work and at home that were, on average, 11/7 mm Hg higher than those with no job strain at both times; the crossover groups had intermediate levels of ABP. The longitudinal analysis showed that those with a high strain job at Time 1, but not at Time 2, had a significant decrease in work and home ABP of approximately 5/3 mm Hg. CONCLUSIONS: The previously reported cross-sectional association between job strain and ABP was replicated at follow-up. The group repeatedly exposed to job strain had higher levels of ABP at Time 2 than either crossover group. Furthermore, change in job strain status partially predicted change in ABP. These results provide new evidence supporting the hypothesis that job strain is an occupational risk factor in the etiology of essential hypertension.     

Prospective relationships between drug problems and work adjustment in a community sample of adults.

The prospective relationships between drug problems and work adjustment (e.g., job instability, job satisfaction) were examined in a community sample of 470 adults. Polydrug problems (alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine problem drug use) were both predictors and consequences of work adjustment. In partial support of the impaired functioning theory, polydrug problems predicted reduced job satisfaction 4 years later. Supporting the work-related strain theory, early job instability predicted polydrug problems 4 years later. In support of the theory of general deviance, low social conformity predicted later job instability. Finally, supporting social support theory, early support for drug problems reduced polydrug problems and increased job satisfaction 4 years later. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Occupational role stress in the Canadian forces: Its association with individual and organizational well-being.

Studies on workplace stress have been conducted in various occupational environments. However, published reports exploring occupational stress in the military are rare. This study examines occupational stress in the Canadian Forces within the framework of social role theory and its relation to employee health, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Ss were 1,068 Regular Forces military members who completed a survey questionnaire. Of interest were the psychological resources (e.g., individual coping skills, workplace leadership, and perceived organizational support) that have the potential to alter the perception of work stress and/or alleviate its association with individual and organizational outcomes. Regression analyses indicated a negative association between occupational role stress and both individual (strain) and organizational (job satisfaction and organizational commitment) well-being. No moderating effects were found for coping strategies, workplace leadership, or perceived organizational support, although these factors had direct relationships with both individual and organizational well-being The results are discussed in terms of the potential of organizational resources and role stress to cascade across organizational levels. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial work characteristics and perceived control in relation to cardiovascular rewind at night.

This study examined the effects of psychosocial work characteristics on cardiovascular rewind at night. Ambulatory 24-hr recordings of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) of 75 borderline hypertensive and 74 normotensive men were related to diary ratings of perceived control (PC) and to scores of psychological demand (P), control (C), and social support (S) at work determined by an occupational classification system. Multiplicative interaction terms for job strain (P?×?C, isostrain (P?×?C?×?S), and Job Strain?×?Perceived Control (P?×?C?×?PC) were calculated. The P?×?C?×?PC interaction predicted diastolic BP at night but not at work. A delayed latency to attain the lowest systolic BP during the night was found for jobs with high job strain and isostrain. Low perceived control and social support were associated with higher HR at work and at night. A logistic regression analysis indicated that the interaction between P?×?C?×?PC and the body mass index was independently associated with borderline hypertension. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social support and the impact of job loss on older professionals.

Unemployment presents important psychological problems for all age groups, but the impact of job loss may be particularly severe for older workers. Participants in our study were 35 members of a self-help organization for unemployed professionals over the age of 40. Three types of variables were measured, (a) stressors, which were length of unemployment, financial concerns, and six functionally different types of social support; (b) stress symptoms, which were self-esteem, depression, physical health symptoms, psychological symptoms, and locus of control; and (c) job seeking behaviors. Our results indicated that financial concerns and social support stressors significantly predicted a number of the stress symptoms. Specific types of social support exhibited varied patterns of relations to these stress symptoms. The perceived availability of "reassurance of worth" support, provided in other contexts frequently by work colleagues, seemed to be most strongly related to positive self-esteem, internal locus of control, and more job-seeking efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Controlled external lumbar drain as treatment for therapy resistant intracranial hypertension--case report

The study investigated the psychological health level and related psychosocial factors of nurses. Through cluster sampling, 650 clinical nurses, who come from 5 city hospitals in Changsha, were interviewed with the Symptom Check List-90 (SCL-90), The Life Event Scale, Type A Behavior Questionnaire, and The Social Support Rating Scale. The results indicated that subjects' average symptom score and most factor scores of SCL-90 were significantly higher than that of the chinese norm. Somatization, depression, and obsession are common psychological problems of the clinical nurses, and the psychological health level of middle age group was significantly lower than that of other groups. Regression analysis (both single factor and multiple factors) suggested that TH and CH scores on Type A Questionnaire as well as life event score on the life event score were negatively related to psychological health level while social support score was positively related to it. The influences of psychosocial factors on psychological health level of clinical nurses were discussed.     

Coping with job stress and burnout in the human services.

Conducted a mail survey of 141 human service workers (aged 25–65 yrs) to investigate the effects of coping on psychological strain and burnout produced by job stress. The survey assessed job stressors and coping strategies with open-ended questions and measured strain using closed-ended alienation, satisfaction, and symptom scales. Because previous research suggested that individual coping responses do not alleviate strain produced by job stress, the survey elicited information on group coping (social support) and on coping strategies initiated by agencies. Job stress was associated with high levels of strain, and group coping with low levels, but individual responses had little effect. Although Ss identified many strategies that agencies could use to reduce stress and strain, actual use of such strategies was slight. Because men and women worked in the same jobs, no sex differences in individual coping were predicted and none were found; women, however, reported more social support than men. There was no evidence for moderating (interaction) effects of stress and coping on strain. Results suggest that social service agencies should take actions to reduce stress among employees. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gendered Work Conditions, Health, and Work Outcomes.

This cross-sectional study of nonfaculty university employees examined associations among gendered work conditions (e.g., sexism and discrimination), job demands, and employee job satisfaction and health. Organizational responsiveness and social support were examined as effect modifiers. Comparisons were made by gender and by the male-female ratio in each job category. The relationship of gendered conditions of work to outcomes differed on the basis of respondents' sex and the job sex ratio. Although the same predictors were hypothesized for job satisfaction, physical health, and psychological distress, there were some differing results. The strongest correlate of job satisfaction was social support; perceived sexism in the workplace also contributed for both men and women. Organizational factors associated with psychological distress differed between female- and male-dominated jobs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual-Level and Group-Level Relationships Between Organizational Characteristics, Work Characteristics and Psychological Work Reactions in Nursing Work: A Multilevel Study.

The aim of the current study was to analyze individual- and group-level effects of organizational characteristics and work characteristics on psychological work reactions in nursing. Questionnaires were distributed to 1,721 nurses working In 15 general hospitals in the Netherlands. Several multilevel analyses, with individuals (i.e., nurses) at the 1st level, units at the 2nd level, and hospitals at the 3rd level, were performed on the authors' hierarchical data. Nurses' intrinsic work motivation was particularly predicted by individual-level social support and also by individual-level decision authority. Nurses' emotional exhaustion could mainly be explained by individual-level workload, individual-level social support, and group-level decision authority. The authors concluded that most of the group-level effects of organizational and work characteristics did not differ from the individual-level effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)